Winds Of Change
by sloopy1975
Summary: Edward and Bella Cullen thought they would be together forever, but unfortunately things change. Now as they face a new chapter in their lives, what will the future hold for them? AH/AU/OOC/canon pairings -- Rated M for language/future lemons...
1. New Beginnings

**_Hey all, this is my new story. It will be my first full story, so I hope you will stay with me for the ride ;) _**

**_Edward and Bella Cullen thought they would be together forever, but unfortunately things change. Now as they face a new chapter in their lives, what will the future hold for them?_**

**_AH/AU/somewhat OOC/canon pairings -- Rated M for language and because you never know when a lemon might surface ;)_**

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Chapter 1: New Beginnings

_Three years ago, King County Courthouse -- Seattle, Washington_

_*BPOV*_

"…and so I declare that the marriage between Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan Cullen is dissolved," the judge's voice boomed through the court room, causing a chill to run down my spine. "Court is now at recess for one hour," the judge concluded with the crash of his gavel as everyone was dismissed from the court room.

It was all I could do to get out of that room and past Edward. I didn't even want to look him in the eyes… I _tried_ to resist. Walking with my head down, I allowed my eyes to look up at him through my eye lashes. His eyes were looking at me too, but they quickly darted about the room to avoid my gaze. I returned my stare to the carpet as I watched its patterns pass by speedily below my feet.

I kept my composure as I was practically sprinting out of the court house, hurrying to my car. I got into the driver's seat and the flood of the emotion of the morning finally overtook me. Tears running down my face uncontrollably, I cried heavier than I had ever in my life.

In between my sobs, I found my voice. "So easy to end twelve years," I said to no one. I looked at the clock on the dashboard of my truck observing the time. Our hearing was at 11:50 am, and it now said 12:04 pm. "Twelve minutes to end twelve years." Wiping my eyes, I put the car in gear and sped off, happy to have made it out of the courthouse and away before Edward had. It was bad enough having to face him in the court room, but I was damned if I was going to let him see me cry over him again. I knew in my head that what we had done was the best thing for us, but that didn't make it any easier on my heart.

When I thought back to Forks High, when I first met Edward… oh, my heart ached for those times again! Things were so carefree and simple back then. We didn't have to worry about house payments, house repairs… not that we _worried_ about those things, we both had great careers, Edward was a doctor and I was a graphic designer, but you know what I mean… and losing our innocence along the way. One too many arguments later, there we stood, in front of that judge.

The first thing we agreed upon in months… years, actually… was the day that Edward came home with the separation papers, 8 months ago today…

_*********_

"_Bella," Edward said flatly approaching me where I was sitting at the dining room table. He carried himself stiffly across the room and sat down in the chair next to me. _

"_Edward," I replied just as coolly as I looked up to him sitting to my right. I watched as he nervously lifted his hands above the table top, to reveal an envelope he was holding onto. He placed it on the table and slid it so it was directly in front of me. My breath caught in my chest as I saw it, even though I didn't know what it was… maybe on some subconscious level, I knew, but I asked the question anyway. "What's this?"_

_Edward sighed as he watched my fingers pick up the envelope and begin to open it. "I tired of fighting with you, Bella," he stated quietly as I pulled the contents out and unfolded them. "We can't continue like this anymore, not when we can do something about it… something that SHOULD have been done a while ago," he added as he nervously shifted his body on his chair._

_Unfolding the papers before me, I noticed that the header on the page indicated it was from a local law firm. Speechless, I glanced up at Edward momentarily as I looked back down to read further. "Divorce proceedings," I read, keeping my eyes on the papers before me._

"_It's my fault, Bella… for letting it go this long," Edward continued, as I glanced over the rest of the papers before letting them fall from my fingers as the realization set in. "I didn't want to give up, but in turn it ended up hurting us more by prolonging the inevitable."_

"_Divorce." I repeated myself numbly as I felt panic set in. Of course I knew Edward was right, but that didn't make it any easier hearing my husband vocalize it. My parents were divorced, so I knew I never wanted to be a statistic, and Edward, knowing that, perhaps stayed to appease me, I didn't know. I just knew that even though we fought on a daily basis, I still never imagined my life _away _from Edward, and now he was forcing me to._

"_The house is yours if you want it, or--"_

"_NO," I interrupted. "You keep the house. I don't think I could stay here, after…" my voice drifted off, and I felt the tears welling up, one escaping the corner of my eye and rolling down my cheek. _Traitor! _I thought at the renegade droplet. "Too many memories…"_

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Too many memories, indeed…

Granted, the last few years weren't loaded with good memories, but there was a lot of good before that… a LOT… and just like that, it was over.

Close the book, shut the window, rip off the Band-Aid…

And that's exactly what I was going to do. I had already moved most of my things to my dad's place back in Forks. Luckily, Charlie knew pretty much what I was going through, having gone through it with Renee leaving him so many years ago, so he was pretty understanding. And he didn't push me to talk about it too much, which was fine with me.

So, turning on to the "on" ramp for the highway, I picked up speed and never looked back. I needed to create some new memories, and what better time to start than now?

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_**OK, so I know it's kind of a dark start to the story but please stick with it, you are in for some great surprises, so add this to your story alerts. I hope to update at least once a week, if stupid old "real life" doesn't interrupt my schedule lol… ;)**_

_**And I love reviews SO much more than ripping off Band-Aids… :D**_


	2. Comforts Of Home

_**Thanks everyone for reading… I hope that you are enjoying the story so far, although it really hasn't taken off yet lol… give a couple more chapters at least, and then things will look up, I promise ;)**_

_**I had the question posed to me, wondering if I was going to do some Edward POV… I hope to work in some Edward POV in the future but when, I don't know. Most of the story will be in Bella's POV but I do hope to work in an EPOV chapter here and there, but nothing's really set in stone yet ;)**_

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Chapter 2: Comforts of Home

_Forks, Washington_

_*BPOV*_

I saw it as if it were coming out of a fog… or maybe _I_ was the one in the fog… no matter which was correct, it was my house I saw getting bigger and bigger as I drove down the street. Seemed so odd coming back to it to live after so long as a -- _divorcee. _Ugh, that word left a bad taste in my mouth, and I hadn't even actually uttered it yet.

Pulling into the driveway, I noticed that Charlie's police cruiser was gone. He must have gotten called into work… story of his life, I guess. But I know he loved his work, even as long as the hours got at times. However, as I got out of my truck, I noticed that the house was not empty as the front door flew open.

"Bella!!" Jake yelled as he bounded out of my house, running down the steps like he used to when we were kids. Only difference was that Jake was now six-foot-five, and because of his long legs, I don't think either of his feet actually touch any of the steps as he landed with a huge thud at the bottom. Me? I would have broken every bone in the lower half of my body with that move. However, Jake landed relatively gracefully as he continued to run toward me, almost knocking me over as he swept me up into his arms. "Shit, Bella, I've missed you SO much… it's SO good to see you and have you back home!"

"Jake," I said sharply, a bit annoyed. Jake's demeanor turned more serious when he realized what he had said.

"Oh, no -- Bells, that's not -- I didn't mean that the way it came out, you know that. I'm not happy about _why _you are here, I'm just happy that you are!" Jake stammered in an attempt to redeem himself with me. Lucky for him, it worked.

I gave Jake a playful punch on his arm. "So, you gonna help me with my bags, asshole?"

"Asshole?!" Jake repeated in disbelief as he collected most of my luggage by himself. He only left behind two, which I grabbed before closing the truck door.

"You heard me, big boy," I said with a smirk as we walked into the house, and setting one of my bags down, I turned and closed the front door.

I turned back to pick up my bag and a strong hand on my arm stopped me. "I got it, Bells," chirped Jake as he bounded up the steps in no less than 3 steps, or so it seemed, to take my bags to my room.

"Thanks, Jake," I said appreciatively and found my way into the living room and plopped myself down exhaustedly on the couch. A minute later Jake joined me. "So I assume that Charlie got called into work, yes?"

"Mmhmm, yeah," Jake mumbled as he grabbed the remote off the table, flicking on the television. "He asked me to come here anyway, even when he thought he was going to be home. He thought maybe you might need a friend tonight. Not that he _had _to ask, I was planning on being here anyway--"

Jake's voice trailed off as his hand reached out to touch mine sympathetically, his eyes meeting mine as I looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks," I said with a smile, winking at him in an attempt to reassure him that I was alright… which I wasn't, but he didn't need to know that right now. Hell, I didn't want to think about it myself right now, either. Sighing heavily, I reached over and grabbed the remote out of Jake's other hand and shut off the TV. "Let's hit the diner for supper… my treat!" I said, standing up and attempting to pull him up with me, but failing miserably.

Jake laughed at my efforts but finally gave in and got up off of the couch. Grabbing my keys from me, he smiled. "I'm gonna drive… I need to make sure that you're taking care of that truck after I put my heart and soul into it for you," he winked as we walked to the truck.

I actually am not fond of anyone driving my truck, even Jake, but after the long ride from Seattle, I wasn't about to argue with him. "Fine, fine… but you'll see that she's in supreme working order!"

"Uh-huh, _I'll _be the judge of _that_," Jake muttered under his breath as he started the truck up and we took off down the road.

*********

"Bella, now why do you think I would be like that? Why are you questioning me _now_, after all we've been through over the years??? You know I always have considered you family and I always will, no matter if you and Edward are both IDIOTS and don't love each _other _anymore, I still love you _both_ regardless," Alice chirped in my ear. "In _my_ mind, there is _no_ choice. He's my brother and you were, are and always _will_ be my best friend! So, please relax, Bella, this does NOT change anything between you and me, OK??" Alice concluded reassuringly. Somehow I was not convinced.

"I love you too, Alice, but---"

"Uh-uh… NO 'buts,'" Alice cut me off mid-sentence. "Now I don't want to hear another thing about it! Just believe in me and our friendship and we will get through this just fine, you just have to trust in me, Bella… can you please do that? For me?"

I rolled over on my bed from my stomach to my back and sighed as I heard Jasper chime in on the other phone extension. "You better give in, Bella, otherwise you will have to answer to ME, because I will lose sleep tonight because this lady will be obsessing over this all night and I will not hear the end of it!"

"Alright, alright," I said in a defeated tone. "I know when I'm beaten into submission, and I know better than to spar against Alice Cullen-Whitlock!" I added with a chuckle.

Alice giggled too. "Smart lady! Now, let's get onto other things… Dad says that you are working at the hospital as of a week from Monday… that's so exciting! Tell us more about that, Bella," she urged me, and I smiled.

Carlisle and Esme Cullen was always so great to me, from the first time I met them and even now that their son and I are now divorced, they still were looking out for my best interest. Proof… Carlisle writing a letter of recommendation for the position at the hospital. So, thanks to him, I was starting my new job in ten days as the webmaster of the hospital's website. Not really the type of work I was used to doing at my old job, but, still not completely out of my league and I knew I would catch on quickly.

"Well, you know about as much as _I _know," I laughed. "I just know that I'm responsible for keeping the hospital's website updated with staff changes, upcoming functions and benefits, stuff like that. Web design wasn't really my strong suit, however I'm sure I'll grasp it in no time flat, I'm not worried at all." Of course I wasn't worried, the job itself was the least of my worries. My biggest worry was my co-workers. I had hoped that the hospital staff would be a little sensitive and not bring up Edward in my presence. All of them are incredibly book-smart, but some of them really lacked in the common sense and tact departments. And most of _them_ being gossipy shrews didn't help the situation, either.

"Well, I know that you will do fantastic, Bella," Jasper assured me. His calming demeanor and kind, encouraging words always put me at ease. One of his gifts.

"Thanks, Jazz," I said, yawning as I did. "Oh my goodness, I need to turn in. It's been too long of a day, I think. There's only so much excitement this gal can take in one sitting," I joked, glancing at the clock. _8:37pm… wow, Bella, you party animal! _I thought to myself as I recalled the days of my youth, when staying up all night was something I didn't think twice about. A reminder that I was not twenty anymore. I yawned again almost immediately following the first one.

"Ok, we get the hint, right babe?" Alice said as Jasper mumbled in agreement. "OK, well, we shall let you get some sleep. I'm sure it _has _been a long day, in more ways than one."

_You sure got that one right! _I thought to myself as I answered Alice. "Yes, yes it has. I'll… I'll give you a call over the weekend, Ali. Perhaps you and Jasper and the kids would like to come over for dinner on Saturday evening. I'm sure Charlie won't mind, you know how he loves your little angels," I said, choking back my tears over what almost was, and what could never be.

Thankfully, Alice did not pick up on my sorrow. "Ok, honey, that sounds positively wonderful! Just let me know what time and we will be there! Good night, Bella. We love you." she finished, with Jasper echoing Alice's good-night to me.

"I love you both, too. Good night," I said, pressing the END key on my cell phone.

Digging out my charger and plugging my phone in, I set it on the night stand next to my bed and plopped back on the bed, this time pulling the comforter over me. Before I knew it, my eyes were misty, and then just as quickly they were flooded as I recalled the events of the day… of my life… as I cried myself into a restless slumber.

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_**If you leave me reviews, I promise Bella will stay up later than 8:37pm in the future… ;)**_


	3. Out With The Old

_**Well, here we are again, thanks for all the feedback and/or love, glad you are enjoying the story so far…**_

_**Chappy 3, here we go… ;)**_

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Chapter 3: Out With The Old…

_***Present Day***_

_*BPOV*_

"…And with my retirement, I am also happy to announce that Dr. Carlisle Cullen will be taking my place as the chief of staff. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to keep this hospital running ship-shape. Since I was the one that hired him over 20 years ago… well, it certainly wouldn't look good if I didn't have faith in him. So without further ado, I give you Dr. Carlisle Cullen!"

Cheers rang out in the banquet room as Carlisle walked up to the podium where Dr. David Stevens was making his speech. Carlisle shook Dr. Steven's hand, and as Carlisle walked up to take Dr. Steven's place at the podium, he patted him on the back proudly, and stepped aside to let Carlisle speak.

"Thank you, Dr. Stevens, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen--" Carlisle began his speech as I made my way across the back of the banquet hall. When Dr. Stevens asked me if I would help him with the planning of this banquet formally announcing Carlisle as the new chief of staff, I was utterly honored and privileged to do so, to have any part of it. Carlisle was, is and will always be like another father to me, and I was happy to take the reins on this important project.

So, now I was on the move, to check with the caterer to make sure we were on schedule for dinner, which was going to start after Carlisle's speech. Carlisle had figured his speech would run only 5 or 6 minutes, and he ended up being correct. As I gave the cue to the caterer to start serving the first dishes, I turned toward the main entrance. My eyes are shocked at the vision they were beholding just inside the doorway.

_Edward…_

This is the first time since our divorce was final three years ago that I have seen Edward.

About six months later, Emmett and Rosalie had mentioned that Edward had moved to Chicago. He had opened a family practice with one of his old classmates from when he was in medical school, and he also volunteered in a clinic for those that had no health insurance due to one circumstance or another.

Since Edward had moved out of state, I never saw him. He usually only made it home for a couple holidays a year, but was only able to stay a day or two before heading back to Chicago. His work kept him incredibly busy… and I have to say I knew the feeling. I not only did my regular job, but I also took on extra projects (like planning this banquet for Dr. Stevens and Carlisle), and I also helped out quite frequently on the Maternity and Pediatric floors.

_Edward…_

Our eyes met for a second, and I quickly turned away from his gaze. I walked swiftly back to the kitchen to busy myself with… something… anything…

I just knew that I couldn't face him, not just this second anyway. Now that I knew he was here, I needed to compose myself. Why was I so nervous? It was just my ex-husband. I had moved on. Don't get me wrong, I still cared for Edward. You can't be with someone for almost two decades of your life and just suddenly turn off those feelings. After checking on things in the kitchen, I went and used a private restroom near the offices of the building and splashed some cool water on my face and refreshed my make-up. Taking a deep breath as I looked at myself in the mirror, I sighed. _Showtime, _I thought to myself as I walked out of the restroom with my head held high.

Walking back out to the banquet room, I immediately spotted Edward seated with his family next to Esme. He was engrossed in a conversation with her when he suddenly looked my direction. He smiled warmly at me with a nod, and turned his attention back to Esme. I was thankful that was all that happened right now, I don't think I would have been able to form a coherent sentence if I had to speak to him just yet. I smiled back and acknowledged him with a nod as well, and went back to doing my job as organizer of this shin-dig.

*********

"Thank you again, Bella," Carlisle said in a grateful tone, Esme at his side. "The evening was truly beautiful. Dr. Stevens said that you were the brains behind the whole thing, and I can't say as though I was surprised. Everything was just perfect, really," he added with a wink, then pulled me into a hug.

Esme was next with her appreciation. She pulled me into a warm embrace. "I couldn't have said it better than Carlisle did… we had a fantastic time, thank you SO much for all your efforts!" She said, kissing me on my cheek as she released her hug.

I smiled at them both, talking to Carlisle first. "Well, Mr. Chief of Staff, I will see you on Monday morning then, bright and early!" He smiled at me, squeezing my hand and winking at me before walking away toward the main entrance. I then turned my attention to Esme, putting my hand on her shoulder. "And you… I will give you a call next week, maybe you, Alice, Rose and I can have a girls' day on Saturday and do some shopping in PA," to which she smiled brightly. Esme always loved going shopping with us in Port Angeles, we'd start early and make a long day out of it, shopping until our credit cards were practically smoking from overuse.

"Oh that sounds great, Bella!!! I look forward to your call. Love you!" Esme added smiling, as she backed away from me a couple steps, then turning away from me to walk toward the main entrance and catching up with Carlisle.

Watching as Esme, Carlisle and the remainder of the guests were finally out and on their way home, I sat down at one of the tables to catch my breath. Leaning forward, I folded my arms on the table and promptly leaned forward on them, practically ready to drop from exhaustion. "I did it," I said into the table, "I pulled it off!" I added, feeling very proud of myself.

"I'll say you did!"

My head flew up and I looked ahead of me as I saw Edward sitting down on the chair across from me. "Edward…" I sat up straighter in my chair, clearing my throat. "I didn't realize that you were still here. How -- how've you been?"

"I'm doing alright for myself. I moved to Chicago."

"Yeah, I heard… Em and Rose told me you opened a practice with a former med school classmate," I said, smiling. "I'm really very happy for you, Edward."

Edward smiled back at me. His smile always did charm me, and I had forgotten just how much. "Thanks, that means a lot, coming from you of all people… really." He smiled again and I felt my breath catch in my throat. Edward continued, "What about yourself? Carlisle says you've been doing a great job, and I've seen the website for myself. Looks great… as do you."

_What? What did he just say?!? _Damn, I knew my blushing was going to give me away, but why did he have to say _that _to make me blush in the first place? "Thanks… Yeah, it's been pretty good, I'm doing pretty well myself," I replied, pulling the leaves off of the plant in the centerpiece in order to avoid his gaze.

"Bella, Bella," Edward said with an amused chuckle. "You never _could_ take a compliment without blushing. Some things never change."

"No," I laughed myself, peering at him through my eyelashes, "I guess not."

"So…" Edward started, his smile fading slightly as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "Are you, um… what else is new?"

I relaxed when I heard the generalized question. When I saw how uncomfortable Edward got all of a sudden, I _thought_ he was going to ask me if I was dating anyone. That subject seemed a little too weird to cover while talking with your ex-husband, whom you haven't seen or heard from in three years. Plus I didn't want to openly admit that I was now "married to my job," something I sometimes cursed him for when we were together. "Um, not much, actually. I work full time and I do some extra projects and volunteer work on the side, so I don't have much time for, um, anything else. You?"

Edward chuckled softly to himself, but I knew he was amused by something by the look on his face. "About the same," he chided, shaking his head and letting out a short nervous laugh. Glancing at his watch, he looked back up at me before standing up from the table, and I stood up as well. "I -- I know you probably have some loose ends to tie up here, so I'll let you get back to it," Edward said as he approached me until he was standing just a few inches in front of me. "It was good to see you again… Bella," he added, pulling me into a hug.

I resisted for only a few seconds but then my arms wrapped around Edward's waist, inhaling as I did. He was still wearing the same cologne that was my favorite, the one I always asked him to wear. My eyes began to get misty at all the memories the scent triggered in me, and I had to get out of there. Letting go abruptly and stepping back from him, all I could say was, "Edward," as I turned away from him quickly, walking into the kitchen area of the banquet hall.

*********

"So you just left him standing there? Goddamn, Bella," Alice said, grabbing two bottles of water out of my refrigerator, and sat down next to me at the kitchen table and handing me one.

"Thanks," I said, taking the bottle from Alice and twisting the top off, taking a drink as she did the same. "Well, what was I supposed to do, Alice? As if I wasn't stressed enough last night, making sure that everything went off without a hitch, but then I had not only to _see_ him but _talk_ to him… wow, I sound so 'junior high school' about this whole thing, don't I?" I stated with a laugh, realizing how ridiculous I was being. Alice nodded and laughed slightly as I continued. "Uhh, I just don't know what to do anymore. I thought I was over him, but seeing him tonight brought up so many memories--"

"Ahh yes, memories of the past are a very powerful deterrent from living in the present," Alice interrupted, a smug look on her face.

"What the _hell _do you mean by that?" I replied, a bit irritated. Alice had a way of getting to the truth, and getting under my skin in the process. She usually was right, which usually pissed me off even more.

"Ugh! We've had this conversation before. You _know_ what I'm getting at, Bella, don't even _pretend_ like you don't know."

I _did_ know, but I just didn't want to go down that road again with Alice. Don't get me wrong, of course I knew she meant well, Alice always had the best of intentions. However, the part that irritated me was _not_ that it was coming from my best friend, but from my ex-husband's sister. _That's_ the part I couldn't help but focus on when she would start in on this subject. Reluctantly, I answered her. "I know, I know, it's just that I'm so busy with work that--"

"Making excuses, again? Well, I think you need to get yourself _un_busy in a hurry. If you want to find happiness again you've gotta _make_ the time, Bella my dear! You just can't expect 'Mr. Wonderful' to fall out of the sky and into your lap without even making the effort," Alice said with a sigh, crossing her arms in frustration, then continuing in a softer tone. "Bells, you know I love you so much and I respect that you needed time, but honey, it's been over _three years_… I mean, even if you don't want to find your 'Mr. Right', you could use a few 'Mr. Right-Nows'!!! You've got to be in need of some, uh, _sexual healing_, if you catch my--"

"YES, yes, I catch your meaning… the fucking _tree_ outside the window catches your damn meaning, Alice," I said, reaching my hand over to cover up her mouth, not wanting her to elaborate further. _Did I mention how horrid it was to have this conversation with my ex-sister-in-law? Because it is…_

Alice laughed and pushed my hand back down. "OK, Bella, OK… I'll stop. I'm sorry for being kind of crass about it, but I really _do_ have your best interest at heart. You _do_ know that, right?" I nodded and smiled at her before she continued. "Good, I just want to see you happy again, Bella."

"Alice, I _am_ happy--"

"Uh-huh, you can lie to me all you want, Bella, but how much longer are you going to lie to _yourself_?" Alice interrupted me as she stood up, wrapping her arm around my neck from behind giving me a squeeze before she walked into the living room by Jasper and Charlie.

"Lying? I'm not _lying_ to myself…" I said quietly to myself as I pondered Alice's words. Was I? Was I lying to myself? Was she right again? Goddamn, I hated it when she was right…

The thing is, now that I knew it… how did I go about changing it? It's not like I've had to worry about this, um, _ever_. Edward and I were together _so_ long, and when we met it just felt… natural. Would it be that easy again? Could it?

I was scared -- scared of being _that_ close to someone again -- of _needing_ someone in my life. I guess that's the real reason I had avoided it for so long.

However, Alice was right. _Of course she was, she always is, _I thought to myself as I made my resolve. Tomorrow I was going to put myself out there again, and it's going to be a great adventure…

I hope…

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	4. In With The New

_**Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it muchly! I also appreciate my fellow Pattinh00r, Jen (Angelgirl0910) for being my betah00r, lol… thanks for your proof-reading and your input, as always… you are a rockstar ;)**_

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_**SO anyway, how are you liking it so far? Well, brace yourselves for chapter 4...**_

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_Chapter 4: In With The New_

_***one month later***_

_*BPOV*_

"Rosalie, I can't tell you how utterly disgusted I am with men right now," I said with a huff before turning to Emmett. "Present company excluded, of course."

Emmett smiled from ear to ear. "But, of course!" he replied arrogantly.

I smacked him upside his head before continuing, looking back at Rosalie. "Between 'Mr. Mama's Boy,' who's mother _insisted _on calling him about every three and a half minutes during our date… to 'Mr. Universe,' who insisted that he _flex_ for me at almost the same time intervals… ugh, I am just so frustrated. Are there _no_ 'normal' guys anymore?" I asked with a sigh.

Rosalie looked at Emmett and giggled, looking back at me. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Bells, but there are no 'normal' guys, they just are different levels of weird," she concluded as she looked at her husband. Emmett just grinned his cheeky grin again as he shrugged, apparently unfazed by his own weirdness.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Well, it doesn't get any weirder than 'Mr. My-IQ-Is-160,' who _seriously_ carries around an x-ray of his brain in his wallet. Of course, he insisted that he show it to me not only _before_ dinner but _after_ dinner as well. He's lucky I didn't lose _my_ dinner all over his craptastic Old Navy polo shirt, WHICH, by the way, had a pocket protector! And seriously, how much can _one_ person know about Star Trek, I ask you!? I _BEG_ you to _tell me_!!!"

Rosalie laughed so hard she snorted. "Bella, I'm so sorry," she replied in between her uproarious laughter at my dating woes. I exhaustedly let my head drop to the table resting over my forearms, letting out a groan. "Well, you _do_ have a date tonight, don't you? Maybe this one won't be so… so…" Rosalie interrupted her own thought by laughing louder than before, prompting me to shoot her a dirty look. Rosalie did her best to calm herself down as she apologized again. "I'm sorry, Bella, I really am… and I'm sorry for laughing at your expense."

I smiled at her, relaxing my expression. "Don't worry about it, because if it were _you_ we were talking about, I'd probably be laughing my ass off as well. It _is_ all pretty damn ridiculous! However it's totally making me want to cancel my date tonight, cuz it's probably just another score in the 'Geeks and Losers' column." _Geeks & Losers 3, Bella 0..._

"C'mon, Bella, don't do that… sometimes you gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince," Rosalie said in her most encouraging tone. "Give it time, it's only been _three_ dates."

"I know, I know," I smiled, trying to lift my own spirits. Lifting my wine glass, Rosalie followed suit. "I'd like to propose a toast… to a date with no apron strings and no steroid addictions, who's dumber than a stump!"

Rosalie begin to laugh again, this time at my jests. "Now I will drink to _that_!" she replied with a giggle as we clinked our glasses together.

*********

Thankfully, when I got home, I didn't have to endure a barrage of questions from Charlie about my date; he was already in bed because he had to make an early start in the morning. I sighed as I approached the almost-dark house -- I noticed that Charlie had left the hallway light and porch light burning for me as I pulled into the driveway. Shutting off my truck, I found myself walking quickly into the house, letting out a relieved sigh as I locked the door behind me. Walking up the steps to my room, I threw myself onto my bed, almost on the verge of tears.

The night started out well enough. We met at this new cute Italian restaurant that opened up in town recently. Marcus was already there, and he looked good. _Very good_. This man was _so_ good looking I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. He seemed to have the whole package… good looks, smart, funny, polite, charming… what more could a woman want?

And that's when the shit hit the fan…

Turns out Marcus wasn't the only one that wanted to try this new restaurant. His _wife_ showed up with a lady friend of hers, and needless to say, she was less than thrilled. As was I. The last thing I heard as I was walking out of the dining room was his wife saying something about a supposed work meeting, which must have been his excuse for getting out of the house -- _bastard_!

So now here I am, crying over this asshole. No… not crying over _him_, just feeling sorry for myself and how, or _why_, I kept attracting the geeks and losers. I was beginning to think that I was the mother ship for the dating world's rejects. Maybe I emitted a whistle of some type -- silent like a dog whistle that only jerk-offs could hear. Well, at least I had gotten a delicious meal once each week that I didn't have to pay for. I know it was a reach, but I had to find the positive _somewhere_ before I slit my wrists to end this horror that had become the crapshoot that was my social life. _Geeks & Losers 4, Bella 0... _

Dragging my feet dejectedly, I walked to the bathroom to blow my nose, wipe my eyes and splash some cool water on my face. Catching my reflection in the mirror, I paused, smiling at what I saw. True, I wasn't twenty years old anymore, but I had to say I looked better now than I ever did back then. I was never one to admire myself, especially over something so superficial as looks. But after feeling the sting of yet _another_ failed date, I needed to give myself that inner pep talk. I _knew_ I looked good, and I knew I had so much more than just _that_ to offer a man.

I couldn't let this get me down… I _wouldn't_! When I wake up tomorrow morning, this sordid incident will be behind me and I will dust myself off and try again. I _had_ to! No one else was going to do it for me, that was for certain.

Walking with a new-found lilt in my step, I walked back into my bedroom. I caught glimpse of my laptop on my desk and realized that I haven't checked my personal email in a couple of days. Since I wasn't really that tired yet, I powered it up and opened my email program. I had lots of spam, a few jokes from my family and friends, and one from Alice that caught my eye. This was the one I opened first.

* * *

_**From: **__Mary Alice Whitlock (at)gmail(dot)com  
_

_**To: **__Isabella Swan IMSwan(at)yahoo(dot)com  
_

_**Subject: **__Crappy dates!!!_

_Hey Bella,_

_Rosalie filled me in on the shitty dates you've been stuck with! I'm so SO sorry, Bella… I hope that this won't discourage you from going out again!!! Rose did tell me that you had a date tonight, hopefully he turned out to be Mr. Wonderful and swept you off your feet. :o)_

_If not, I came across this website that you may or may not find beneficial. It's a support site for divorcees. They have forums/blogs and a chat room and it's all completely free. You just sign up for an account and that's all there is to it! (WOW, sounds like I work for them, doesn't it? lol) I'm sure there's got to be others that are going through the same things you are, so maybe it's worth checking out…? Couldn't hurt! And if you don't like it, you can delete your account, I guess. _

_So here's the link, do with it what you want, I suppose :o)_

_http://www(dot)secondtimearound(dot)org/_

_Love you girl! Don't give up, k?? ;o)_

_*hugs*_

_Alice :o)_

_

* * *

  
_

I huffed and rolled my eyes at Alice's email. She was _way_ too optimistic and cheerful, even in a stupid email, that it sickened me sometimes. It was hard to feel optimistic after the last three… oops, I meant, _four_… dates I've been on. The first and _only_ dates I've been on since Edward.

_OK, Swan, what did you _just_ tell yourself a few minutes ago? _I thought as I stared at the blue link on the page. I told myself that I wasn't going to let this get me down. Dust myself off and try again, I said!

I closed my eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, in my nose and out my mouth. _Let go of the negativity! _I thought.I opened my eyes and they focused directly on that blue link. I sighed heavily. Would it _really_ be that bad to seek out some support from others like me, in my position? I knew that my family and friends supported me, but aside from Charlie, none of them really truly _understood_ and could one-hundred percent relate to what I was going through. However, something like this was just _too weird _to discuss with your dad. I was never one to discuss any relationship issues with Charlie, and I wasn't about to start now.

Yes yes, I was starting to think that Alice had a good point. Did I mention that I hated it when she was right? Because I did.

_It's now or never, Swan, _I thought to myself as I clicked on the link quickly before I changed my mind. I kept my eyes closed for a minute as the page loaded, continuing my deep cleansing breaths from before.

After about a dozen deep breaths I slowly opened my eyes. _Hmmm, the site _looks_ harmless enough._ I clicked on some of the links. _Easy to navigate, great graphics… _I chuckled at my own thoughts. I was in the graphic arts and no matter what I was doing, it was hard to turn that part of my brain off. Shaking my head, I continued clicking around. I read the FAQ page, and what Alice had said was true. It was all completely free, and the site was a resource for divorcees.

"Couldn't hurt," I said, repeating Alice's words from her email. With butterflies forming in my stomach, I clicked the link to create a new account. Carefully choosing my username, I was satisfied that it was unique and cryptic enough to not give anything away about who I was and where I was. You couldn't be too careful on the internet these days.

After receiving the email from the site to activate my account, I went first to poke around the forums. There were forums for people who were just separated, whose divorces were just finalized and those who had been divorced longer. There was also a forum for those who had children, those who didn't have children -- there was even a legal forum that actually had a lawyer that checked in with in-depth answers relating to divorce itself, custody issues, and other inquiries. I was pleasantly surprised at how many things this site had to offer.

After I skimmed over quite a few threads on the forums, I checked out the links page. The first link they had listed was for the lawyer that answered questions on the legal forum. There was more links to local law firms, psychologists and counselors, social workers, day care services… anything that anyone on this site could be looking for.

Too bad I didn't know of this site three years ago, most of these resources sure would have come in handy!

The last thing I checked out was the chat room. I hesitated a bit before clicking on it. Not because I was nervous, moreso that I was inexperienced when it came to using them. In college I popped in and out of a few chat rooms once in a while when I was bored, but never found them appealing. I assumed this one would be more of the same, however, I clicked to log in anyway.

Once I was logged in and the chat room loaded, I decided that I was just going to observe for a while. I counted the number of site users in the room, there was about twenty-five including myself. The room was buzzing with a lot of activity. One woman was sharing about how her husband had cheated on her, and after taking him back twice, he did it a third time, and that was all she could handle. Next a man shared his story about how he and his wife had just grown apart. They stayed together for the sake of their four kids, but once the kids were grown and gone, she wasn't far behind them.

Reading the stories before me was enlightening. I obviously knew that I wasn't the first, nor was I the last, person to become divorced, but it was really refreshing to read everyone share their feelings of loneliness and despair. Not that I wished that on anyone, or that I was happy for their suffering, but it was so comforting to find people that could truly understand me and I, them.

Content in choosing to follow Alice's suggestion to sign up for this website, I decided to log off my computer for the evening. I was about to close my browser window and shut down my laptop when a private message window popped open.

_** anappleaday : **__Care to chat, lurker? ;)_

_

* * *

  
_

_**Well, there ya go… lol… btw I don't know if the website is real, if it's already in use, I certainly do not mean any copyright infringement by using it. The email addresses aren't real either, to the best of my knowledge. Again, if they are real addresses of real people, well, again I mean no harm. ;)**_

_**Reviews are better than brain x-rays… ;)**_


	5. A New Hope

**_Hey all, sorry about the delay in getting out Chapter 5, some real life stuff got in the way… and the main thing getting in my way was getting a trojan horse two weeks ago and having to wipe out my computer and start over again… grrr lol… Anyway I hope you are enjoying the story so far… please leave me a review… _**

**_Also thanks to Jen (Angelgirl0910) for beta-ing for me, you rock ;) ANNND I *should* be putting the disclaimer on all my chapters that I don't own the characters, they are Stephenie Meyer's property! But the story (and the bad dates) she's a-mine! LOL :D_**

**_Anyway, on to Chapter 5... Enjoy!_**

_

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_

_Chapter 5: A New Hope_

_*BPOV*_

I froze. I was stunned because I didn't know what to say. Plus, I really hadn't planned on chatting with anyone tonight, I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity about the site Alice emailed me about. I was about to log off when a private window popped open with a barely audible _PING_. And it seems that whoever this is, is pretty impatient because I'm getting a _PING_ from him once again after only a minute.

_**anappleaday: **__Hellooo? Anyone home?? _

Ahh, what the hell, I had nothing to lose. With a slight tremble of… _excitement…? _I began to type a response in the reply line.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__YES, I'm here, sorry! You just caught me, I was about to log off of the site!_

_**anappleaday: **__Hemingway fan?_

_**forwhomthebelltolls**__: What?_

_**anappleaday: **__Your screen name?_

Oh yes, I was glad to find someone with a brain. I smiled, giggling to myself almost maniacally, as I typed my reply.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__You don't, by chance, carry around an x-ray of your brain, do you? LMAO_

"Apple" didn't answer me right away, which gave me a minute to look at their user profile. Apple was my age, thirty-four, and also was a "he." That's all he had filled in. After a long pause that felt like an hour, Apple-man answered me.

_**anappleaday: **__Do you always answer a question with a question? And what the hell kind of question is that, anyway? :P_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Just humor me, please, lol… answer MY question first, then I will answer yours._

I wouldn't be surprised if this guy thought I was certifiably crazy. Hmm, maybe I was. I was pleasantly surprised when he replied a few seconds later, fulfilling my request.

_**anappleaday: **__No, I don't carry around an x-ray of my brain, or anyone else's brain for that matter. Satisfied? LOL_

I laughed out loud at his response.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Yes, as a matter of fact, I am, thank you VERY much! LOL! _

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__And now I will make good on my promise and answer your question. Yes, I am a fan of Hemingway. ;)_

_**anappleaday: **__There, was that so difficult? LOL_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__*sigh* I guess not, LOL :)_

_**anappleaday: **__My name is Tony. Yours?_

Remembering all the safety stuff that I not only learned in school about revealing too much about yourself over the internet, but that Charlie always told me too, I decided to use my middle name with Tony, for now.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Marie_

_**anappleaday: **__So, Marie, can I ask you something personal?_

The prospect of that made me nervous. I didn't know this guy. Then again, I didn't _have _to answer him if I didn't want to.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__That depends on what it is…_

_**anappleaday: **__I'm actually afraid to know the answer, and you can NOT answer if you like, but here it is: Why did you ask me if I carry around an x-ray of my brain? LMAO_

I decided to take a drink of water at the wrong time. The next thing I knew, I ended up spraying it all over my laptop screen when that last message popped up. I wiped my screen dry with a tissue. I laughed hysterically as I replied.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__LMAO, it's a long story. Let's just say that I've recently re-entered the dating pool and the prospects have been, shall we say -- less than desirable, LOL!_

_**anappleaday: **__Ouch! LOL, sorry to hear that. How long have you been divorced?_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__A few years now. You?_

_**anappleaday: **__Same here. Any children?_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Not really, no._

_**anappleaday: **__"Not really, no." What does that mean?_

I hesitated. I've never really talked about the subject of children with anyone, not even with Alice or Jake. Maybe some day I would discuss it, but not now, and certainly not with Tony. After all, I've only known him for about ten minutes.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__I really don't care to get into that right now. Perhaps after we know each other a little better._

_**anappleaday: **__So does that mean you are open to a second "date"? LOL_

Truth be told, the past few minutes have been the best I've spent with _any_ man since Edward… well, my family and Jake excluded, of course. Did I really _want_ to talk to Tony again? Sure, why not!? I certainly had nothing to lose by having pleasant conversation with someone. I smiled as I typed my response.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__So does that mean you're asking me out on another "date"? LOL_

_**anappleaday: **__There you go again, answering a question with another question, LOL… YES, I am asking you on another "date". Care to chat again tomorrow evening? _

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Yes, I'd love to! What time?_

_**anappleaday: **__I'll be available around 9:00 if that works for you. (Central Time… not sure where you are located so I thought I'd throw that in!) _

OK, he was relatively far away if he was in the central time zone. I thought about it a few seconds, realizing that he was two hours ahead of me. 7:00, then… yes, that would be perfect. Charlie and I usually ate dinner between 5:30 and 6:00, and that would give me enough time to clean up after.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Yes, that would work out perfectly!_

_**anappleaday: **__Great, it's a date! :)_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Great! :)_

There was a pause in our chatting for about two minutes, and I thought that maybe Tony had signed out, but then he dropped me another message.

_**anappleaday: **__So… Hemingway, huh? ;)_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__LOL! Yes, Hemingway. _

_**anappleaday: **__I figured it either had to be Hemingway or Metallica, LOL_

I giggled as I read that. I was a fan of a lot of different music genres, most actually, but metal was not one of them… for the most part, anyway.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__LOL, no, definitely NOT! _

_**anappleaday: **__Good, because I was picturing you as a woman that wears all black and has her entire body tattooed and pierced._

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__LOL, and that would be a bad thing…? ;)_

_**anappleaday: **__LOL, for me, yes. Don't get me wrong, I hold no prejudices to those that choose to do that. However they want to express themselves is fine with me…_

_**anappleaday: **__But it's not what I would be attracted to, that's all. I wouldn't mind a couple tattoos, piercings or both, but you've got to draw the line somewhere, right? :)_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Well, Tony, you can sleep well tonight knowing that I have no markings of any kind on my body, and the only things I have pierced are my ears, LOL ;)_

_**anappleaday: **__LOL, ok :)_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Speaking of sleep, I really should be going. I have an early day planned tomorrow, and I have a big "date" in the evening that I need to be rested up for, so… ;)_

_**anappleaday: **__Yes, I should turn in as well, for the same reasons, including looking forward to a "date" ;)_

I found myself blushing at his words. I took them as a good sign, that he was feeling a connection to me like I was to him, even though we only chatted for about a half-hour.

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__So I guess this is "good night" until tomorrow evening :)_

_**anappleaday: **__Yes, it is. Good night, Marie! Sweet dreams!_

_**forwhomthebelltolls: **__Good night, Tony! Same to you!_

I stared at the chat window for a few seconds, before an alert popped up.

_user __**anappleaday**__ has logged off_

I stretched, letting out a rather lengthy yawn as I realized that I was more tired than I thought. I decided to check my email one more time before shutting down my laptop and heading to bed.

I had only one unread email…

* * *

_**To: **__user "__**forwhomthebelltolls**__"_

_**From: **__user "__**anappleaday**__"_

_**Subject: **__thank you!_

_User "anappleaday" has sent you this message through secondtimearound(dot)org:_

_Hi Marie,_

_Thank you again for the wonderful chat tonight! I'm quite happy that we will be chatting again tomorrow evening. _

_Until then, here's a little something for you. A real one would be nicer, but this will just have to do for now… :)_

_Tony_

_

* * *

  
_

When I scrolled down a little further, I saw a picture of a single white rose. I smiled from ear to ear as I moved the email to my _saved_ folder, and shut down my laptop. I crawled under my comforter and snuggled up to my pillow. After my disastrous date tonight, I was certain that I would have been crying myself to sleep. Little did I know I would drift away to dreamland with a smile on my face.

* * *

_**Reviews are better than crying yourself to sleep ;)**_


	6. Flowers, Mud and Apple Pies

_**Hey all, so sorry again to have "faked" you out last weekend with a chapter update when there wasn't one, but I just wanted to let you know that I didn't forget about you all! I felt guilty every day for not working on my story. Well, now I am posting a new chapter finally to make up for my neglecting you! *slaps wrist* bad Sloopy! Baaaad Sloopy, lol :P **_

_**This one almost didn't get done cuz I'm battling a terrible head cold right now, ugh, I can't get a break at all these days!!! *sigh* Anyway, here it is… I hope you enjoy!**_

_**I thank my beta-h00r, Jen (angelgirl0910) for lookin' out for me, grammar- and punctuation-wise ;) Although for this chapter I beta'd myself (wow, that sounds dirty, lol) ;) :P**_

_**I don't own the characters, they are Stephenie's… I am just taking them on a new ride ;)**_

_**Cheers!**_

_**

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**_

_**Chapter 6: Flowers, Mud and Apple Pies**_

_*****BPOV*****_

I swear, this was the longest day in history.

I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning, waking up at five o'clock to see if Santa had been there, leaving my gifts under the tree. After a night of the best sleep I have gotten in a LONG time, I awoke earlier than I normally would on a day off, checking my email first. I was ecstatic to see I had a message from Tony. All it said was, "Good morning, Marie! Hope you have a beautiful day!" with a rose attached again. Was this Tony guy too good to be true? Maybe, or maybe not… but I was going to make sure to enjoy the attention while it lasted!

I replied back to Tony immediately this morning, thanking him for the beautiful "flowers," telling him to have a great day as well, and that I was looking forward to our big e-date tonight. I then preceded to take a shower to officially get started on my day.

My day was nothing special, really. I ran a few errands… picked up a few groceries, put gasoline in my truck, made a trip to the post office. I then came home, did some laundry and made some preparations for dinner. Like I said, nothing special. However, tedious tasks like this would normally make the time tick away fairly quickly. Today was the exact opposite. I let out a huge sigh of relief when Charlie and I were finished with dinner, and I hurried to clear the table, eager to get everything finished in time for my online excursion.

Unfortunately, my hustle didn't go unnoticed by Charlie.

"Where's the fire, Bells?" he asked, a smirk on his face, obviously amused by the speed of my after-dinner clean-up. "You got another date or something?" he finished, trying to hide the growing grin on his face. While I didn't give him all the details of my dates, he did know that they were all veritable disasters thus far.

I didn't have the energy to explain about Tony. Well, there was nothing to explain, yet. So I made up an excuse to cover. I didn't like lying to Charlie, but I didn't want a lecture about online safety, which he's already given me time and time again.

"Well, not really a date, just taking in one of those free webcasts on UW-Seattle's website. You know me, always wanting to expand my mind and stuff," I replied with a wink.

Charlie laughed, knowing that I was completely BS-ing him, but taking the hint and not pressing me about my plans. Got to love Charlie, he doesn't keep digging for info. "Alright then," he smiled, kissing me on my forehead before turning to walk out of the kitchen. "You have fun, whatever you're up to," he added as he walked out to the living room, leaving me to my dishes.

*********

When I completed my cleaning, I hurried up the stairs to my room. I flipped open my laptop, and found myself pacing the floor, chewing on my bottom lip as I waited for it to power up. It was only a few seconds that went by but it seemed like an eternity. Once it was done, I sat down at my desk and glanced at my clock. "6:52," I said out loud as I opened my browser and clicked on the bookmark for secondtimearound(dot)org.

Entering my sign-in information, I nervously bounced my leg, doing my best to will away the butterflies in my stomach. I don't know why I was so nervous, it's not like Tony and I hadn't spoken before. But there was just something… a feeling I couldn't identify yet, but I knew I was excited. Once I was logged into the site, I clicked on the link for the chat room as I held in a breath.

Once connected, I scanned the chat room participants for his name. _Hmm, not here yet. _I was content to wait for him since I knew I was a few minutes early, so I began to follow the conversations that were going on in the room. I only read for a few seconds when I heard the familiar _PING_.

_**Anappleaday: **__Well, you certainly are a punctual one, aren't you? :)_

I laughed, completely startled by the chat window that opened on my screen. Tony had been there, after all. I began typing my response.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Do you always make a habit of sneaking up on unsuspecting women? :)_

_**Anappleaday: **__There you go, answering a question with a question again. _

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__And, what's wrong with an inquisitive mind? ;)_

_**Anappleaday: **__I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, LOL_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__And yes, I believe in being punctual. So what's _your_ story? LOL_

_**Anappleaday: **__LOL I logged myself into the chat as invisible._

Hmm, I didn't notice that you could do that… I'd have to pay closer attention next time I log in.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Ahh, I see. Sneaky!! LOL :P_

_**Anappleaday: **__Sometimes, LOL_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Thank you again for the emails, and the "flowers". That was very thoughtful of you. :)_

_**Anappleaday: **__You're quite welcome. I know it may have been a little cheesy, but…_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__No, it wasn't cheesy at all, it was nice :)_

_**Anappleaday: **__:)_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__So how was your day?_

_**Anappleaday: **__Ah, it was alright. The day seemed to drag a bit. It wasn't a great day, but it wasn't the worst, either. _

_**Anappleaday: **__However it started to look up about, oh, 4 or 5 minutes ago when you got here. :)_

I blushed when I read that. I felt the same way.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__*blush* thank you kindly. :)_

_**Anappleaday: **__And your day?_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__About the same. Nothing special, until now ;)_

_**Anappleaday: **__Thank you as well!_

I smiled as I paused to think of what to say next. At least in an internet chat room, if you're quiet for a couple minutes, you can claim you got a phone call, or some other excuse for a distraction. Awkward silences aren't as awkward as they are when you are face to face with someone, that's for certain.

Thankfully, Tony ended _our_ awkward silence first.

_**Anappleaday: **__So you mentioned last night that you've just started dating again…_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Oh God, don't remind me, LOL *facepalm*_

_**Anappleaday: **__Some winners, eh? LOL :P_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Well, last night's date ended up being married, so…_

_**Anappleaday: **__Whoa! Are you kidding me?!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__The dude's wife showed up at the restaurant where we were. _

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Believe me, I wish it were a joke… maybe it is a joke, on me!_

_**Anappleaday: **__Marie, don't say that, I'm 100% positive it wasn't you. _

_**Anappleaday: **__Men are assholes. Plain and simple. _

I laughed.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__You're a man. So what does that say about you? LOL :P_

_**Anappleaday: **__Well I'm the exception, of course! LOL :P_

I laughed harder, so hard that my Pepsi I was drinking almost came out of my nose.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__What makes you so sure about that, Tiger? LMAO :P_

_**Anappleaday: **__LOL, because I _know_ we're assholes. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to correcting it!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__LOL I guess so!_

_**Anappleaday: **__Did you just call me "Tiger?" LOL_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__LMAO I believe I did, yes :P_

_**Anappleaday: **__LMAO :P_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__:D_

_**Anappleaday: **__Seriously, all guys think with their dicks. It's a fact. Some men just have a better handle on things._

_**Anappleaday: **__And I didn't mean that to be as dirty as that sounded, LOL :P_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__ROFLMAO, that _did_ sound kinda dirty :P_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__But I can forgive you for your crassness, I suppose ;)_

_**Anappleaday: **__Well thank you very much!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__You're welcome LOL_

_**Anappleaday: **__As I was saying about that jerk, don't take it too personally. Men are animals. We'd do it in the mud if we had to._

I laughed hysterically as I typed my next line…

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Or in an apple pie… :P_

_**Anappleaday: **__"American Pie" LMAO… one of the cinematic epics of our time, for sure!_

_**Anappleaday: **__Incidentally one of my favorite movies, too!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Mine too! LOL :D_

_**Anappleaday: **__So you like comedy movies?_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__I like a little bit of everything, but comedies are my favorite, yes. You?_

_**Anappleaday: **__Same here. Music?_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Again, a little bit of everything. Except for (most) metal. I like something you can sing along with._

_**Anappleaday: **__You can't sing along to metal? LOL_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__No. Scream along, maybe, LOL_

_**Anappleaday: **__LOL yep, I guess :)_

We continued on this path of getting to know each other for a long time. We found out everything from each other's favorite colors, to favorite foods, to favorite beverages. Favorite books. Favorite TV show. Favorite TV commercial. And any other favorites we could think of to talk about and compare. Eerily, I discovered that I had quite a bit in common with Tony.

Before we knew it, nearly three hours had slipped by.

_**Anappleaday: **__Wow, I just looked at the clock, I can't believe it's almost midnight!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Oh my God, that's right, you're two hours ahead of me! I should let you go!_

_**Anappleaday: **__Yes, I suppose so._

_**Anappleaday: **__For the record, I don't _want_ to go. I'm having fun chatting it up with you, Marie. ;)_

I blushed at Tony's admission. I was having fun too, but unfortunately my body was betraying me by yawning. Damn me for my inability to sleep in this morning, or I wouldn't be so tired now. And, I certainly couldn't blame _him_ for being tired, too, considering the time difference. I guess it was time to wrap this up.

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__I'm having fun too, Tony, but you need to get to sleep._

_**Anappleaday: **__I do, actually, I'm working a double shift tomorrow. _

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Well then I won't keep you any longer. _

Before I could bridge the question of if Tony would like to chat again soon, he answered it.

_**Anappleaday: **__The next couple evenings will be quite busy for me due to my work commitments, but I'll email you and we'll schedule another chat before the end of the week._

_**Anappleaday: **__Perhaps Thursday night, 8:00, if that works for you._

YES, he wants to do this again!!!

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Yes, that works for me. :)_

_**Anappleaday: **__Great! :) I'll keep you posted if something comes up, but I'm going to do my best to make sure it doesn't, LOL!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__That's fine if it does, don't worry about it. It sounds like your schedule is a bit more unpredictable than mine is._

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Most of the time, my schedule is 8:00-4:00._

_**Anappleaday: **__OK, then I shall see you Thursday!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__Until then… ;)_

_**Anappleaday: **__*hugs* Good night, Marie! Sweet dreams!_

_**Forwhomthebelltolls: **__*hugs* Good night, Tony! Sweet dreams!_

I hung around until I saw the prompt on the screen indicating that Tony had logged off. I sighed as I logged off of the site myself and closed my laptop, plugging it in for a charge.

I got myself into my PJs, all ready for bed, and used the bathroom before turning in. When I saw myself in the mirror, I could have sworn that I was glowing. I smiled at the thought as I returned to my bedroom, seeking the warmth of my comforter. I stared at the ceiling, feeling a smile drift onto my face again.

Grinning ear to ear, I rolled onto my side and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_**Well there ya go… finally a new chapter!!! YAY :D**_

_**I am going to leave their chat names capitalized from now on, it's too tedious to go back and change them all to lowercase letters, even though I did that for the last chapter. It sucked, LOL… so I'm just going to leave it from now on. Just leaving a note about it because I know someone might think about pointing out the difference to me. Now you don't have to, lol….**_

_**Reviews are better than doing it in the mud… :P**_


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